Michelle Newsome Receives Surprise ‘Classroom Cash’

Ahoskie, N.C. - June 8, 2011 – RBC Bank had a big surprise in store for Michelle Newsome, a fifth grade teacher at Ahoskie Elementary School, at the school’s end of year awards ceremony Tuesday. Ms. Newsome knew she had been selected as one of 50 Tribute to Teachers winners to receive a $500 award to be used for classroom supplies. What she did not know was that she was also the bank’s grand prize winner. Local RBC Bank leaders and the bank’s mascot Leo the Lion surprised Ms. Newsome with an additional $2,000 for a shopping spree for school supplies and educational materials.

“We are thrilled to be able to reward a teacher in our community who gives so much back to our students every day,” said Deborah Fields, banking center manager for RBC Bank in Ahoskie. “We value Michelle Newsome’s commitment to education and want to help provide her students with the best learning environment possible.”

Newsome was selected from more than 2,200 nominees throughout the bank’s Southeastern footprint (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia). She told presentation attendees that she plans to use the money for classroom technology, books and dry erase board supplies.

The presentation was part of the bank’s eighth annual Tribute to Teachers program. This spring, the program is recognizing 50 teachers who demonstrate exceptional community and educational leadership. This fall, RBC Bank will select an additional 50 winners from a new set of nominations for another 50 Tribute to Teachers Awards. Altogether, in the spring and fall Tribute to Teachers programs, RBC Bank will donate more than $50,000 this year to be used by winning teachers to purchase classroom learning tools. One winner from the spring and one from the fall will be selected to receive a grand prize of an additional $2,000 school supply shopping spree. To view a complete list of the 50 teachers recognized this spring, please visit the bank’s web site at www.rbcbank.com/tribute.

About RBC Bank

RBC Bank, headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., offers a wide range of financial services and advice to individuals, businesses and public institutions throughout the Southeast. RBC Bank’s network includes more than 420 full-service banking centers in six states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia), an extensive ATM network and telephone and online banking. RBC Bank is the 40th largest U.S. bank by consolidated assets, according to SNL Financial’s List of the Nation’s 50 Largest Banks, September 2010. RBC Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) (RY on the TSX and NYSE), Canada's largest and most stable bank as measured by assets and market capitalization. For ten consecutive years, RBC has been named to the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. RBC has been listed as one of the most sustainable large corporations in the world for six years in a row, according to the annual ranking by Corporate Knights. And, in February of this year, RBC was ranked 31st in The World's Most Respected Companies by Barron's, and third among financial institutions. More information about RBC Bank may be found at www.rbcbank.com.